Rail anchor



J. W. SKEEL May 31, E951 RAIL ANCHOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1946 FIGS FAQ-4 INVENTOR. M10432 5M BY y 11951 J. w. SKEE'L 2,551,507

RAIL ANCHOR Filed June 8, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIQS JNVENTOR. -5 M 10% 5M4 J. w EL 6 sheei 3 Filed June 8, 1946 INVE fi WM 5 B P y 1%1 J. w. SKEEL 2,551,507

RAIL ANCHOR Filed June 8, 1946 5 $heets 5heet 4 M INVENTOR.

BY MM 177 7 y 1951 J. w. SKEEL 2,551,507

RAIL ANCHOR Filed June 8, 1946 6 Sheets Sheet 5 FIG Fm H

Yum

y 195.1 J. w. SKEEL 2,551,507

RAIL ANCHOR Filed June 8, 1946 e'sheet's-sheet 6 {W M 6M, w INVENTOR.

BY W

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES RAIL ANCHOR John William Skeel, North Girard, Pa., assignor to True Temper Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Application June 8, 1946, Serial No. 675,495

18 Claims.

My invention relates to rail anchors and relates more particularly to a rail anchor of the general type employing a pair of relatively interlockable rail flange engaging parts.

More particularly, my present invention in volves certain novel features of improvement in rail anchors oi the general type disclosed in the prior patent to Cooper and Steadworthy No. 1,366,558 dated January 25, 1921, which are characterized by the provision of a U-shaped clamp member adapted to grip one side flange of a rail base and a spring member driven between a pair of clamping arms of said clamp member and engaged with the underlying Web interconnecting said arms below the rail base, and having its free end snapped upwardly, as a result of such engagement, to engage the remote side edge of the other rail flange. Rail anchors in improved forms of the above type have gone into very extensive use.

An object of my present invention is to provide such a Stead type two-part rail anchor adapted to exert improved gripping action on said rail base to more securely anchor the rail against subsequent dislodgment or slipping of said anchor under the varying conditions of railway use to which, at times, rail anchors are subjected.

Other objectives of my present invention are:

To avoid dislodgment, or slippage, between the rail and the rail anchor, when in place, by the pounding effect of the rails against the underlying ballast during passage of heavy rapidly moving trains over the rails;

To provide an improved anchor which will not unduly subject the rail flange to damage, as a result of derailed locomotives or cars traversing laterally extendin portions of said anchors;

To provide an improved anchor which is susceptible of ready and easy placement on a rail base but at the same time will strongly resist dislodgment under normal heavy use conditions;

To provide an improved rail anchor of the twopart type adapted to achieve the foregoing objects, wherein both anchor parts may be preliminarily assembled, transported to the point of application, and then applied to said rail base as a unitary rail anchor;

To provide an improved anchor of the aforesaid primary type but provided with a retaining drive-on bar of sturdy construction, and of unique form, to meet the demand for a most reliable,

easily applied, tightly secured, two-piece anchor.

To provide an improved resilient retaining member for a rail anchor of the aforesaid type, said member and body being so cooperatively constructed during placement of the anchor upon a 2 rail base, and a relatively rigid rail gripping body, so cooperatively constructed as to avoid overdriving of the retainer member in placement of the anchor upon a rail base;

To provide an improved resilient retaining member for a rail anchor of the aforesaid type, said member and body being 50 cooperatively constructed during placement of the anchor upon a rail base, and a relatively rigid rail gripping body, so cooperatively constructed as to avoid objectionable reactive rebounding eiTects 0f the retaining member during the operation of driving the retaining member into locking engagement with a rail base flange.

. Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains and ineluding those skilled in railway maintenance, by reference to the accompanying drawings of two embodiments of my invention, and to the accompanying specification describing the said embodiments.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a first em-, bodiment of my invention as applied to a rail base, the rail being shown in transverse sectional view and with one of the arms of the rail gripping member being indicated as broken away to expose the parts otherwise hidden by the broken away arm portion;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the channelshaped rail gripping member of the said embodi--v ment;

Figs. 3 and 4 are front and rear elevational views of the gripping member;

Fig. 5 is a top plan viewof the channel-Iv gripping member of Figs. 2, 3 and 4 Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the two parts of the anchor, of said first embodiment, as preliminarily assembled together, ready for unitary transportation to the place of application of the two-piece anchor to a rear base bottom;

Fig. '7 is an end elevational view of the driving rearmost end of the retaining bar of the foreging figures;

v Fig. 8 is a view duplicating in a larger view the showing of Fig. 1 together with an additional showing, in dotted lines, of the factory assembled anchor parts hand placed on a rail base flange in position to be driven onto the rail base bottom.

Fig.9 is a view of the nature of that of Fig. l, but illustrating a second embodiment of my invention, which I now prefer.

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the retain:

ing bar of the said second embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the bar of Fig. 10.

Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively front elevational and rear elevational views of the clamp member of the said second embodiment.

Fig. 14 is a top end plan view of the clamp of Figs. 12 and 13.

Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are similar views, respectively illustrating three successive positions taken by the retaining bar with respect to the clamp bar, the aforesaid bar being shown in side elevation, then clamp member being also shown, but with the nearest arm of the clamp member indicated as cut away to illustrate the interiorly disposed bar and the inner surface of the remote clamp side arm.

Fig. 18 is a side elevational view of the completely preassembled rail anchor in the ultimate preassembled relative positions.

Fig. 19 is a section taken on the line' I-9!9 of Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a section taken on the line 2ll-2ll of Fig. 15.

Referring to the drawings of Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive which illustraw a first embodiment of my invention, and in all of which like parts are dese ignated by like reference characters, the rail anchor thereof may generally be characterized as being of the aforesaid patented two-piece type, and comprises two parts, which are adapted to be co-operativel'y interlocked on a rail base, the rail gripping clamp member I affording one part, being separately illustrated in Figs. 2 to 8 inclusive, and the other part being inthe form of a retaining bar 2, said parts being illustrated in operative interlocked relation with the rail base in Fig. 1.

The clamp member I, shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is of generally U-section channel form, and comprises a part of upstanding arms 6 and I, and a planular web 5, each arm being so inwardly notched proceeding from its forward edge as to provide the divergent rail gripping upper and lower jaws 3 and 4, adapted to fiatwise engage the upper and lower border surfaces of the same rail base flange.

The web of the clamp channel extends in a direction which is normal or at right angles to the side arms 6 and I, but the plane of the lower jaws 4 is disposed at an angle of 45 to the plane of the upper surface of the web 5 whereby, when the clamp member is operatively secured to a rail base flange with the jaws 3 and 4 embracing the top and bottom surfaces to said flange, said web 5 will be disposed at an angle of 45 to the plane of the rail base bottom which coincides to the plane of the lower jaws 4 in engagement therewith. The clamp I and retaining bar 2 may have rounded edges, as shown.

The clamp member I, when in operative position on the rail base, will cause the plane of the upper surface of the web 5 to be forwardly and upwardly inclined with respect to said rail base bottom and a projection of said plane will preferably intersect the rail base bottom near its middle at a point a: which is directly below the rail web Ill.

The construction of the clamp member I, above described, is of particular importance in View of the improved type of retaining member 2, which is peculiarly adapted for cooperative operation in connection therewith for the purpose of reliably retaining the gripping member in gripping relation with one of the rail base flanges and at the same time aifording sufficient abutment surfaces at the lowermost outer sides of the arms. 6 a d I, either of which is adapted to abut against a rail supporting tie.

However, my present invention may be applied to variant structures where such an angularity between the intersecting planes of the rail base bottom and the web is varied but I prefer no greater variation than 5, plus or minus.

As a further feature of improvement to facilitate factory pre-assembly of the anchor members I and 2, as later described, the upper portions of the channel arms 5 and l are preferably correspondingly inwardly offset, so that all upper end portions of the channel arms 8 and I are preferably correspondingly inwardly offset, whereby all upper end portions of said arms from a portion of their front edges which is located somewhat below the front terminus of the lower jaw surfaces 4, will be disposed more closely together than are portions below said zone 8, as best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. At 8', Fig. l, by shading lines, and in Figs. 6 and 8, by lines 8 parallel to the line 8, the width of the converging portions of the arms to provide such offsetting, is indicated, and the amount of offsetting is also well shown in Figs. 4 and 3.

The offsetting is accomplished by bending each said arm inwardly from below the zone 8, although relatively short portions 8 converge upwardly and inwardly, the portions of said arms both above and below said portions 8 are normally preferably substantially parallel, but with the relatively upper portions being relatively disposed closer together.

The purpose of positioning the relatively upper portions of the clamp arms i and 8 so that their inner surfaces are relatively less widely interspaced is to effect a resilient frictional clamping engagement of the side edges of the rearmost section of the retaining bar 2 between the inner surfaces of the upper clamp arm portions, in order to conveniently afford a preliminary factory assembly of the anchor parts I and 2 in a manner which will maintain said parts in desired relative positions during handling, shipment and distribution, as well as during the initial step of application to a rail base.

Such lateral frictional gripping of the retaining bar, upon the imposition of such driving force as is required to apply the anchor to the rail, will permit of such relative adjustment of the parts as is desirable during application of the anchor to the rail. The frictionally maintained preliminary assembly of the clamp and bar also will permit a ready separation of the parts should such separation for any reason be at any time desirable.-

As another feature of improvement, the corners la adjacent the junction of the lower jaw surfaces 4 and the forward edges of the clamp arms, are similarly displaced inwardly by an inwardly directed bending operation during the manufacture of the clamp I; when the bar and clamp is pre-assembled, the inwardly deflected tips 4a, overlie the bar section I37), thus cooperatively with the clamp web 5 preventing up-anddown displacement of the medial portion 53 of the bar 2.

The retaining bar 2, as best illustrated in Fig. 9, comprises relatively forwardly and rearwardly extending end sections, I? and I2 respectively, each curvilinearly merged at their inner ends with a downwardly bowed interconnecting intermediate section I3 of substantially shallow V-form, and the oppositely extending end sections I1 and i2. being each preferably at least nearly straight with the exception that the front straight section ll merges at I'i" with its terminal upturned hook portion 2!. The rear section [2 provides a preferably fiat driving end surface i I.

The two arms ltb and Ba, of the intermediate V-section of the retaining bar, are of preferably different lengths, the arm 13b being relatively shorter, and the forward bar section I? is tilted upwardly from the region of its junction with the arm I311.

The end bar portions H and 12, therefore, are preferably not disposed in precise longitudinal alignment. The upper surface of one of said end portions is slightly inclined with respect to the plane of the other and the formation of the complete bar, including the downwardly bowed intermediate section, is such that normally, when the bar 2 is not subjected to flexing stress, as shown in Fig. 6, where the anchor is shown apart from the rail, a forward projection y, of the plane of the upper surface of the rearmost end section IE will intersect the upper surface of the foremost end section at a point a which is disposed medially between the junction of said front section with the intermediate section I3 and its juncture H, with the rearmost portion of the terminal hook formation 2|. The planes of said upper surface portions of said end sections may be within 5 of coincidence, although a slightly greater variance is permissible with attendant efficient results.

Preferably, the retaining bar 2 will be of about the same thickness as the channel-shaped clamp member with which it is to be associated but, preferably, the retaining member will be made of spring steel and, to provide it with a V-form intermediate section 13, the lower surface of the bar will partake somewhat of a convexly curvilinear longitudinal form which is most pronounced at the bottom of the V and, proceeding in both directions, the outer surfaces of the, arms of the V become more nearly straight as the junctions with the relatively straight front and rear sections ll and I2 are approached, and whereat such lower surfaces gradually achieve a concave longitudinal form in the regions of juncture with said end sections, as at It and I5, respectively.

The upper surfaces of the V-arms I31) and !3a may conveniently be of more nearly longitudinahy straight form, and while the angle of divergence between the arms 13b and 13a may be varied, I preferably dispose said arms at an angle which is greater than a right angle and, preferably nearer to an angle of 100.

The principal purpose of the slight divergence between the planes of the normally substantially straight upper surface portions of the bar sections i2 and I7, and of the making the forward arm 13b of the V-section shorter than the arm 13a thereof, is to assure that there will be clearance between the lower surface of the rail base and a considerable portion of the length of the upper surface portion of the bar section l! which is disposed forwardly of the forward terminus of the arm 13?) of the V-section [3, when the anchor is fully applied to the rail base, as shown in Fig. 1.

At the same time, the sections l1 and i2 are sufficiently nearly in longitudinal alignment to avoid unnecessary and undesirable resilient rebounding of the driven end 12 during application of the anchor to a rail base.

With the anchor fully assembled and applied to the rail base, as in Fig. 1, the portion 3| of the upper surface of the bar section [2 makes 6 flatwise engagement with the rail base, with the plane of the upper bar section 12 and of the lowermost clamp jaws 4 being substantially in co-incidence, and the bar section [2 thus supplementing the rail gripping action of the lower clamp jaws 4.

The operation of preliminarily assembling the two members i and 2 is best accomplished by introducing the rearmost end M of the straight arm portion E2 of the retaining bar 2 to the space below the relatively directed corner portions 4a which form the lower jaws 4 to the front edge portions of the channel arms 6 and 7, and above the foremost end of the web 5, and then pushing the rear end of said bar rearwardly between the arms 6 and 1 until the intermediate section [3 of the retaining bar 2 is completely embraced by the relatively widely spaced power portions of said clamp arms.

When the bar has been projected between the lowermost more widely spaced portions of the arms 6 and i being then disposed below the zone 8, the rear end of the bar 2, which, at this time, projects rearwardly from the clamp member, is forcibly displaced upwardly and will fulcrum on the forward edge 5a of the clamp web 5 until the rear end portion 12 has its upper surface approximately brought into the plane of the clamping surfaces of the lower jaw 4, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

This last operation may be accomplished by a hammer or, in factory practice, will usually be accomplished through the instrumentality of a precisely operable power press which hold the channel clamp immovable during the operation.

The rotation of the rear portion of the retaining bar 2 about the forward upper edge of the web 5 will cause the side edges of the bar 12 to progressively move first through the zone B and then above the zone 8 where said side edges are compressively frictionally gripped between the inset upper portions of the side arms 6 and l of the clamp member and such upward movement of the rear end of said bar will therefore be attended by a slight resilient spreading of said clamp side arms to accommodate the full width of the bar therebetween. Such spreading of the side arms will be insufiicient to militate against the proper action of the clamp member during application or use of the rail anchor.

The bar 2 will thereafter remain in assembled relation to the clamp i and will resist relative movement with respect to said clamp member even though the anchor during handling, shipment and transportation to the place of application and the initial operation of placement on a rail base flange preliminary to final driving may receive some rather rough handling.

The inwardly directed tips 3a of the lower jaw portions overlie the marginal sides of the underlying retaining bar which thus is trapped or caged between said tips and the underlying forward portion of the clamp 'web 5, thus affording a guide for placement of the retaining bar 2 and assuring a sufificient degree of permanence in the assembly of the anchor parts.

To apply the anchor to a rail base, the upper and lower jaws 3 and t are, by hand, partially pushed onto the upper and lower surfaces of one of the laterally presented base flanges of a rail. but such hand placement is insufiicient to advance the jaw surfaces inwardl of the rail base a distance nearly as great as that ultimately achieved by a subsequent driving operation.

, The upper edgesurface 20 of the upturned bar,

7 hook 2|, by such hand placement, will slidingly engage the bottom of the rail base in the re generally indicated at '25.

The workman then directs driving blows the end surface ll of the rearmost section 12 to completely apply the assembled anchor to operative clamping engagement with the rail base, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Such driving will first accompli h a translatory forward movement of the bar 2 to slidingly move the upper surface of the hook 2| towards the adjacent rail edge and, at the same time, the forward portion of the upper surface of the clamp web 5 will be engaged by the upper forward portion [312 of the channel member web 5, and the cam portion l3a of the bar V-section will be moved in a forward and upward direction responsive to successive blows directed against the bar end H, and the jaws and 4 will further telescope over the associated rail base flange lilo.

During the driving of the bar 2, the camming effect of the clamp web 5 causes the intermediately disposed portions of the bar to become resiliently deflected upwardly towards the rail base, and therefore clamp-holding power is resiliently stored in the bar.

The relative movement of the parts is continued until the rail base flange lila occupies such a position between the jaws 3 and a, as illustrated in Fig. 1, while the recited camming effect of the clamp web 5 increases its upward pressure against the medial resilient portion of the lower surface of the bar 2, and the upper surface of the bar hook 2| will be slid along the bottom of the rail base until the hook ha achieved a sufiiciently forward position where, responsive to the stored spring pressure in the bar, said hook is caused to snap upwardly over the edge of the rail base.

A portion only of the power stored in the spring bar 2 by the recited carnming action is released when the hook end of the section i'i passes over the front edge corner of the rail base flange lllb, and the balance of said power is utilized in increasing the holding power of the anchor.

Actual tests involving the application of many rail anchors, of the embodiment herein described, on railroad rails have demonstrated that the anchor, herein illustrated and described, may be applied to a rail base with little effort and with great positiveness, and without objectionable rebounding resilient efiects, which otherwise would have a tendency to cause the retaining element to rebound rearwardly at each drivin blow.

Also, my rail anchors of the present invention when fully applied to the base of a rail are maintained in position on such rail base under operating conditions which, in the past, have been found so severe as to cause loosening of the better types of prior types of anchors from the rails.

Again, it has been found that a distinct ad-- vantage results from the fact that the lower surfaces of the web 5 and the rearmost edges of the channel arms are each relatively angularly disposed at approximately to and at opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the lowermost corner 0 of the clamp that up-and-down movements of the rails causing an impact of the lowermost rail anchor clamp portion against even frozen high ballast promotes no substantial unbalanced force tending to displace the lowermost portions of the channel, in either direction, in any manner tending to loosen the anchor from the rail base.

Also, it has been found that the two anchor parts are readily preassembled at the factory and upon that such preliminary adjustment of the two assembled parts is maintained despite rough handling until the anchors are fully applied to a rail base.

Figs. 9, et seq. inclusive, illustrate a second and preferred embodiment of my invention which involves changes in the form of certain parts of both the clamp and retaining bar members, which further refine the operative features of the anchor of Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, and are conducive to increased permanence of the assembly of clamp and bar as well as contributing to greater positiveness in the application of the anchor to a rail base and also insuring continued assembly of the clamp and bar parts when the anchor is removed from a rail base, even after a long period of use thereon, so that the anchor parts remain relatively assembled for re-application to a rail base.

Among the more noticeable changes in form of the preferred anchor, is the provision of a deeper substantially V-form intermediate portion of the retaining bar shown at 53, th provision of the localized, more inwardly protruding projecting portions 9| adjacent the rearmost edges of the clamp channel arms 56 and 5?, and a more pronounced inward deflection of the more forwardly disposed portions 54a of the lower jaws 58. The nature and consequent advantages of the above changed features of construction will more clearly hereinafter appear, from the following description of the two anchor parts in which the bar 52 will first be described, and wherein finally the advantages accruing by the changed formations will be explained.

While the retaining bar 52 is of the same general form as that shown at 2 for the first described embodiment, although it is shown with preferred straight edges, thus bein of rectangular cross-section, throughout, the V-shaped portion thereof generally indicated in Fig. 10 at 63, whose arms are relatively diverged somewhat more than a right angle, as before, and whose longitudinal extent is indicated at A, is of in creased depth and longitudinal extent, being initiated at 66, where the V-shaped section becomes merged with the forward section 6? of the bar, which point of merger substantially coincides with the corresponding region of juncture 16 of said first embodiment.

However, the lowermost portion of the V-section shown at 630 is disposed, not only lower than, but at a point nearer the rear end 6| of the bar than is the similar lowermost part i3c indicated in Fig. 6; similarly the region of juncture 65 between the rear section 62 and the rearmost arm 63a of the V-section is disposed substantially correspondingly more rearwardly than the similar juncture [5 of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 6.

As indicated by the dotted line Y, and the point Z of the upper surface of the bar section 61, and like the bar of the first embodiment, a projection of the plane Y of the upper surface of the rearmost bar portion 62 will intersect the upper surface of the foremost bar section B! in a region which generally corresponds to the region a as determined by the dotted line 3/ for the first embodiment as in Fig. 6.

It may be said that the bar 52, as illustrated in Fig. 10, is interchangeable with the bar 2 with respect to cooperative association with the clamp l of the first embodiment, and because of the substantially greater length of the V-section 63b, said section affords a longer length of camming surface for engagement with the forward portion of the surface of the clamp web 55.

salsa The greater longitudinal extent of the inclined lower surface of the section 63b also effectively insures against such overdriving of the bar when placing the anchor upon a rail-base, as might otherwise sometimes accidentally occur should the lowermost surface I30, Fig. 6 ride upwardly on the web so as to engage the most forward edge of said web.

Although overdriving of the bar could seldom if ever be accomplished, were the bar of Fig. 10 employed in combination with the first described clamp l of Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, this and other advantages are more efficaciously achieved when the bar 52 of Fig. 10 is employed in co-operative relation with the clamp 5! of the second embodiment, which will now be described and which is illustrated in Figs. 11 et seq.

The clamp 5!, like the clamp l, is cut from a strip of steel which may have, as shown, rounded side edges, and the web 55, and the jaw notches affording the upper and lower jaws 53 and 54 and end wall 54, are preferably similarly cut from the forward portions of the two arms 56 and 51 of the generally channel-shaped clamp, whose web is shown at 55.

However, whereas as shown in Fig. 5, the arms 6 and l are there shown as being initially nonconvergi-ng in the fore and aft direction, the clamp of the present embodiment preferably provides arms whose upper portions, as shown in the top plan view of Fig. 14 converge from front to rear, whereby the rearmost portions are disposed substantially closer together, although the lowermost arm portions 92, are relatively preferably non-converging; in other words, the upper por tions are relatively laterally skewed with respect to the lower portions of the same arms 55 and 51, whereby the rearmost inner surfaces of the arm portions which are disposed above the protuberances 9!, become relatively more closely interspaced, than the other uppermore surface portions of said arms disposed forwardly there of.

I also preferably slightly outwardly bow the arm portions 9i which are disposed below the dotted line 98, Fig. 18, in the up-and-down direction of the rearwardly extending bar arm section 52, to ensure lateral clearance for the V- form bar section and adjacent portions which in use of the anchor is disposed between said channel arm portions forwardly of the rearrnost portions of said channel arms.

Such bowing contributes toward the desired result of avoiding constraining and frictional pressure engagement between the sides of said bar and inner wall surfaces of the clamp arms, in regions disposed forwardly of the most converged rearmost upper portions of the bar which by virtue of such convergence resiliently and frictionally grip a more rearward portion of the bar. From the fore-and-aft line 98, Fig. 18 the inner surfaces of the clamp arms 56 and 5?, grad ually converge slightly inwardly, in the upward direction through the narrow zone I05, such convergence terminating at the dotted line 88.

The inward projections 58 and 9! are disposed at the two ends of the narrow zone, 495, of said inward convergence in the upward direction, as best shown in Figs. 19 and 20.

The surface of the lowermost jaw 54 is preferably disposed at the same angle of 45 relative to the plane of the web 55, as before, but por tions of the arms of the channel are inwardly indentured somewhat difierently. In the first place, the material of portions 54a of the arms 51 and 55, including the foremost portions of the lower jaws 54, is bent convergingly inward in the forward direction to a substantially greater extent than before, and the relatively more widely spaced inner surfaces 92 of the forwardly disposed upwardly extending portions of said arms which are disposed between the inwardly bent portions 5 3a and the web 55, are of lesser upward extent than before, and where the upwardly extending inner surfaces 532 merge with those of the inwardly bent portions 54a, more abrupt inclined shoulders 93 are produced by the bending.

At oi, the metal of the rearmost portions of the arms is abruptly inwardly deflected to afford opposing inwardly directed protuberances.

The opposing protuberances 9| are preferably relatively more closely interspaced at their rearinost portions but taper in more forward and downward portions for a relatively short distance until they merge with the adjacent inner surfaces of the zone channel walls, as shown in the top elevational view of Fig. 14 and indicated by the abrupt indenturing depressions Bla visible in the side elevational view of Figs. 9 and 18. I

The shoulder formation 93 below the forward ends of the lower jaws 54 results largely from the indenturing of the outer surfaces of the clamp arms at 58. V

The relative attitudes of the clamp and bar when, together, completely assembled onto a rail-base, are substantially the same as illustrated in Fig. 1, although the preferred deeper V-shaped section 63 extends more downwardly within the clamp than before. The present embodiment affords a more permanent preassembly of the clamp and retaining bar, largely by virtue of the above recited differences of construction of the clamp and bar.

To effect a factory preassembly of the two anchor parts the rear section 62 of the retaining bar 52 is introduced through the forwardly presented space above the web 55 and below the shoulders 53, being slid along the upper surface of the foremost upper corner of the web with the uppermost portion of the downwardly inclined outer surface of the arm 13a of the intermediate bar section l3, as illustrated in Fig. 8.

Then, the rearmost end 5! of the bar is manually lowered to permit the surface 631; to slide alongthe foremost upper edge 55a of the web until the upper inner surface Hit of the bar section 631) is cbstructedl engaged by the downwardly facing shoulder 53 at the forward edge of the clamp, whereupon the bar surface 3| is manually lowered by tilting the forward portion 61 of the bar upwardly as shown in Fig. 16; the rear end of the bar is then elevated a shown in Fig. 17 until the rear bar section engages the lower surfaces of the protuberances 9i.

With the bar pushed rearwardly in such last described inclined attitude until the upper surface it! of the bar section 53b engages the shoulder 93, the assembly is subjected to a press operation which forces the side edges of the rear bar portion 62 between the protuberances 9! of the clamp arms, the pressure applied being sufficient to cause the interposed bar portion to wedgingly spread the clamp arms su'fiiciently apart to perrnit thebar to pass between said protuberances to the ultimate preadjusted position illustrated in Fig. I8.

In such a preadjusted position the region of merger 65 betweenthe ba-r portions and 6"! will be disposed closely adjacent to the forward upper edge corner I03 of the clamp web. In

such position the rear portion 62 of the bar 2 is tightly wedged at I04 between the rearmost converged portions of the clamp arms 56 and 51 in a region which is disposed adjacent to and above the protuberances 9|. The bar portion 66 is prevented from upward or downward movement by engagement of its upper and lower sides, respectively, with the clamp shoulders 93 and the web edge 55a and the rear portion of the bar, in addition to the resilient, frictional, lateral clamping engagement by the clamp sides, is restrained from downward movement by reason of the presence of the obstructing protuberances 91.

The rail anchor as thus constructed and preassembled is now ready for packing, shipment, transportation to the railroad site of application to a rail-base, and application of such anchor is accomplished in the same manner as previously described for the first embodiment.

The presence of the underlying protuberances 9| effectively prevents the rear end portion 62 of the anchor from being deflected downwardly, either through rough handling before, or during application to a rail-base, and thus during forward driving the bar 52 can never approach such a more parallel position with respect to the clamp web, that by forward driving movement the bar could be so overdriven as to cause the mid-portion (530 to ride up the web edge 55a, or to achieve any attitude wherein the retaining hook II at the forward terminal of the bar could be projected beyond the remote rail-base flange edge.

On the contrary, during driving of the anchor onto the rail by blows against its rear end Bl, the bar will move forwardly tending to effect substantial parallelism as between the lowermost surface of the portion i317 and the web 55 of the clamp, and thence upon continued driving the camming engagement between said web and bar surface will, while the hook 2| is driven forwardly in compressed sliding engagement with the bottom of the rail-base until the assembled anchor is completely applied to the rail-base with the inner facing surface of the hook 2| engaged with the remote edge of said rail-base and preventing displacement of the anchor from the rail-- base in the well-known manner. As previously stated, during driving of bar I l the pulling effort of the V-section I317 on the forward portion of the web 55 effectually telescopes the jaws 53 and onto the rail base flange.

An advantage of the construction of the said last described preferred embodiment resides in the fact that the anchor thereof may be removed from a rail-base by downwardly directing blows upon the upper siu'face of the hook 2| to loosen the anchor from said base and importantly, such removal is without effect in impairing the necessary preassembled relationship of the clamp and retaining bar, which do not become separated, but remain in proper assembled relationship.

The rear portion 62 of the bar, is prevented by the protuberances 9! from being lowered and thereby the bar and clamp are maintained in the emcient, desired relative attitudes for re-application to a rail-base flange. Such desirable maintenance of the preassembled relation between the anchor parts is also contributed to by the caging formation at the forward lower portions of the clamp comprising the web 55, the shoulders 93 with the interposed more widely interspaced clamp arm portions 92, which similarly prevent 12 improper up-and-down dislodgment of the portion of the retaining bar which projects between said caging portions of the claim.

Having described my invention in two different embodiments, the first representing a preliminary, commercially advantageous and proved. form of my invention, and the second representing a further improvement, more perfectly insuring against deleterious results caused by improper or accidental handling or operation either before or after application of the anchor to a rail-base, and also insuring the retention of the two parts in proper preassembled relationship ready for re-application, I am aware that my invention may be embodied in anchor structures involving the principle of my invention, and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A two-piece rail anchor comprising a rail flange gripping clamp of the channel-shaped type having a pair of parallel upstanding arms each notched in its forward edge to afford a pair of relatively superposed clamp jaws adapted to fittingly embrace a rail base flange and said clamp adapted when affixed to said rail flange to dispose its web at an approximately 45 angle to the bottom of the rail base, and a retaining bar having substantially oppositely extending front and rear portions adapted for projection from between the arms of the clamp and terminatin forwardly in an upturned hook, and the straight rear portion projecting rearwardly beyond the rear edges of the clamp arms and affording a rear end impact driving surface, said bar having a medial downwardly projected section adapted responsive to flow directed against said impact surface to make camming engagement with the upper surface of the clamp web to upwardly resiliently stress intermediate portions of the bar disposed forwardly of its said rear portion, to cause said hook to be snapped over the edge of the remote rail base flange, and the vertical extent of said medial section being substantially greater than the vertical distance between the most forwardly and most upwardly disposed forward edge portion of the web and the superposed lower surface of the rail base, when said clamp jaws are fitted onto the rail base flange.

2. A rail anchor comprising a rail flange gripping clamp of the channel-shaped type having a pair of parallel upstanding arms each notched in its forward edge to afford a pair of relatively superposed clamp jaws adapted to fittingly embrace a rail base flange and said clamp adapted when aflixed to said rail flange to dispose its web at an approximately 45 angle to the bottom of the rail base, and a retaining bar provided with a pair of generally straight front and rear end portions, said bar adapted to have a major portion of said rear portion disposed between the arms of the clamp with its rearmost end projected rearwardly from said clamp to afford an impact driving surface, said bar terminating forwardly in an upturned hook and being medially bent to afford a substantially transversely channel-shaped medial bar section having a substantially forward upwardly inclined surface adapted for camming engagement with the upper forward surface portions of the clamp web to upwardly transversely relatively stress the intermediate portions of the bar to cause said hook to be snapped over the remote edge of the rail base, and the vertical extent of said 13 medial section being substantially greater than the vertical distance between the most forwardly and most upwardly disposed forward edge portion of the web and the superposed lower surface of the rail base, when said clamp jaws are fitted onto the rail base flange.

3. A rail anchor of the two-piece type having a substantially U-shaped clamp provided with parallel arms, each correspondingly notched to provide a pair of upper and lower jaws for gripping one flange of a rail base, and provided with a lowermost web disposed in a plane normal to said arms, the planes of said clamp web and of said lower jaw surfaces converging forwardly at approximately a 45 angle, and a retaining bar having front and rear substantially straight sections respectively provided with a foremost upturned hook and a rearmost driving end, said bar comprising a medial section, of transversely channel-shaped form interconnectin the aforesaid sections and affording a forwardly, upwardly inclined lower cam surface, said bar adapted to have most of its rear section disposed between the arms of the clamp and its rear end projecting rearwardly therefrom, and said cam surface engageable with said clamp web responsive to forward driving of said bar by blows directed against said rear and to resiliently upwardly bend the intermediate portions of the bar to effect snapping of said hook over the remote base flange edge, and the vertical extent of said medial section being substantially greater than the vertical distance between the most forwardly and most upwardly disposed forward edge portion of the web and the superposed lower surface of the rail base, when said clamp jaws are fitted onto the rail base flange.

4. A rail anchor comprisin a channel shaped clamp having jaw notches extending inwardly and towards the free end rear corners of both arms from the forward edges thereof to provide a set of upper and lower jaws adapted to embrace edge portions of the same rail base flange, the web thereof extending in convergent relation to the lower jaw surfaces at an angle of approximately 45", and a retaining bar bent from initial straight form to afford an approximately medial section deflected substantially downwardly with respect to the other portions of the bar, so as to make it of substantially transversely channel-shaped form, said bar terminating forwardly in an upturned hook and adapted to be driven forwardly by blows directed against its rear end, said rear end extending rearwardly from between the clamp arms, said central portion adapted for carnming engagement with the upper surface of the clamp web responsive to driving of the bar, and the intermediate portions of the bar comprising said central portion adapted to be resiliently bent towards the rail base bottom responsive to the resultant upward camming of the intermediate bar portion, to cause hook to be snapped over the edge of the other rail base flange, and the vertical extent of said medial section being substantially greater than the vertical distance between the most forwardly and most upwardly disposed forward edge portion of the web and the superposed lower surface of the rail base, when said clamp jaws are fitted onto the rail base flange.

5. A two-piece rail anchor comprising a channel-shaped rail flange gripping clamp having a pair of upstanding clamp arms, so correspondingly notched as to afford corresponding pairs of upper and lower rail base flange gripping jaws so directed that when said clamp is aifixed to a rail flange with the lower jaws in flatwise engagement with the bottom of the rail base the web of said clamp will be disposed below the rail base in convergent relation to the mid-portion of the rail base bottom at an approximately 45 angle, and a retaining bar having a substantially straight rear section mostly disposed between the arms of the clamp and a rear impact driving end surface projected rearwardly from between said arms, with its rearmost end projected outwardly thereof, a substantially straight upwardly inclined front section of transversely channelshaped form having a lower forwardly and upwardly extending cam follower surface terminating forwardly in an upturned hook, and a medial downwardly bent section interposed between and interconnecting said front and rear sections adapted for camming engagement with the upper surface of the clamp web when said bar is driven forwardly by blows directed against its said rear end, to resiliently deflect the front portion of said bar to cause said hook to be moved to and snapped over the edge of the remote rail base flange, and the vertical extent of said medial section being substantially greater than the vertical distance between the most forwardly and most upwardly disposed forward edge portion of the web and the superposed lower surface of the rail base, when said clamp jaws are fitted onto the rail base flange.

6. A two-piece rail anchor comprising a rail base flange gripping clamp of the type, having a pair of upstanding clamp arms, each clamp arm correspondingly notched to provide a pair of upper and lower rail flange gripping jaws so directed that when said clamp is affixed to a rail flange the web of said clamp will be disposed below the rail base in convergent relation to a medial portion of the rail base bottom at an approximately 45 angle, and a retaining bar provided with generally front and rear straight end portions both oppositely directed slightly upwardly, a portion of said rear end portion being disposed between the arms of the clamp and being in engagement with the bottomsurface of said rail base, with its rearmost end extending rearwardly from between said arms, and said bar terminating forwardly in an upturned hook, said bar being medially bent to afford a substantially downwardly deflected medial section of substantially transversely channel-shaped form, said medial section having a lower relatively forward cam follower surface portion adapted for carnming engagement with the upper surface of the clamp web to upwardly transversely stress the intermediate portions of the bar when said bar is driven by blows directed against its said rear end to cause said hook to be snapped over the edge of the remote rail base flange, and the vertical extent of said medial section being substantially greater than the vertical distance between the most forwardly and most upwardly disposed forward edge portion of the web and the superposed lower surface of the rail base when said clamp jaws are fitted onto the rail base flange.

7. A two-piece rail anchor, one piece thereof being generally in the form of a channel shaped clamp affording a pendant web and an upwardly extending pair of supporting arms, and the other piece being a retaining bar, said bar comprising a pair of oppositely extending end sections, and a relatively pendant interconnecting medial section, the front end section terminating forwardly in an upturned hook formation, and the rear end section affording an impact driving surface at its rearmost end, said medial section being of the form of a transverse channel, said bar being normally so formed as to provide a spring portion, comprising said medial section and most of said front section, whose upper surface is interspaced below the plane of its extremities, the arms of said clamp being so inwardly notched proceeding from their corresponding forward intermediate edges to provide like upper and lower rail flange embracing jaws, with the lower jaw surfaces disposed in a plane disposed at a angle to the relatively downwardly disposed clamp web, and adapted for flatwise engagement with the lower surface of said rail flange, said medial portion of said bar being initially disposable in the space between the rail base and clamp web and between the clamp arms, and said bar adapted to be moved forwardly when driven by blows directed upon its said impact surface, to concurrently effect camming engagement of said medial portion with the upwardly inclined clamp web, to advance the bar hook while engaged with the bottom surface of the rail base towards the opposite edge of the rail base, to resiliently upwardly deflect the said spring portion of the bar, and to tractively advance the clamp jaws further onto the clamped rail base flange, until said hook is snapped over the edge of the remote rail base flange.

8. A two-piece type rail anchor comprising a channel shaped clamp element having companion jaw notches for embracing a rail base I,

flange, and extending rearwardly from the forward edges of the channel arms, with the planes of the lower jaw surfaces and the channel web relatively disposed at any angle between 40 and a spring retaining bar having substantially straight oppositely extending front and rear sections and a medial section, said rear and medial sections mainly disposable between the arms of the channel, said front section terminating forwardly in an upturned hook and said rear section extending rearwardly from between the channel arms to afford by its rear end an impact driving surface said medial section being of generally V-forni and affording a forwardly and downwardly facing inclined lower surface adapted to make carnming engagement with the correspondingly inclined clamp web, said front section extending forwardly and upwardly from its juncture with the upper end of the front arm of said medial section to dispose at least a major portion of the length of the upper surface of said front section adjoining said medial section substantially below a forward projection of the plane of the upper surface of said rear section, said bar adapted to receive driving blows directed against its said rear end to force said hook forwardly along the bottom of the rail, and said clamp web responsive to such driving of the bar adapted to cammingly direct the medial section upwardly and forwardly towards the rail base bottom, whereby said hook is snapped over the remote rail flange edge, said clamp jaws are concurrently tractively drawn by said medial section and channel web further onto the engaged rail base flange, said bar effecting resilient reactive pressure against said inclined clamp web and the said rail base surfaces engaged by the bar and clamp, to maintain said clamp, bar, and rail base in relatively interlocked relation.

9. A rail anchor comprising a channel shaped 16 clamp having jaw notches extending inwardly and upwardly from the forward edges of the clamp arms to provide a set of companion upper and lower jaws cooperatively adapted to embrace the same rail base flange, the web thereof extending in forward convergent relation to the lower jaw surfaces at an angle of approximately 45, and a retaining bar having oppositely directed end sections, and a relatively interconnecting medial section of substantially V-form, the front arm thereof being shortest, said front section being inclined slightly upwardly and terminating forwardly in an upturned hook and the rear section terminating in a rearmost impact end portion, said rear section mainly disposed between the arms of the clamp and its impact end projected rearwardly beyond the clamp, said medial section adapted, responsive to forward driving of the bar, to cammingly engage the upper surface of said clamp web and to be upwardly deflected thereby, to apply upwardly directed stress upon the front bar section to cause its hook end to engage the rail base bottom and its more rearward portions to be resiliently bent toward the rail base bottom and to slidingly advance the bar hook along the rail base bottom to cause said hook to be snapped over the edge of the remote rail base flange, and said clamp arms being provided with two pairs of companion inwardly extending ledges, the first pair being faced downwardly and disposed below the forward portion of the lower jaws, and the second pair being faced upwardly and disposed relatively rearwardly and upwardly therefrom, and below a rearward projection of the plane of said lower jaws, said pairs of ledges being disposed respectively above and below respectively more forwardly and rearwardly disposed portions of the bar embraced by said clamp arms.

10. A two-piece rail anchor, one piece thereof being generally in the form of a channel shaped clamp and the other piece a retaining bar, said bar terminating forwardly in an upturned hook and comprising a pair of oppositely extending substantially straight sections and an interposed relatively interconnecting downwardly bowed section, said front section extending slightly upwardly from its junction with the intermediate section, the arms of said clamp being so notched as to substantially flatwise embrace the upper and lower border surfaces of a rail base flange in such manner as to dispose the intermediate web in a plane having an inclination of approxiately 45 from the plane of the lowermost jaw surfaces, whereby when said bar is disposed between the clamp arms, and driven by its rear end transversely of the rail said bowed portion is adapted to effect camming engagement with the upwardly inclined clamp web to raise and advance the bar hook to cause it to make sliding engagement with the rail base bottom and to move it forwardly towards the opposite edge of the rail base until it is snapped over the edge of the remote base flange, also, to effect resilient upward deflection of the front bar section and to tractively advance the clamp jaws on the clamped rail base flange, both arms of said clamp in the region below and adjacent to the junction of the surfaces of the lowermost jaws and the front arm edges being provided with inwardly and downwardly directed shoulders to substantially effect caging of the portions of the bar disposable in the space defined by said shoulders and said clamp web to prevent oven driving of the bowed bar portion forwardly through said space.

11. A two-piece rail anchor comprising a channel shaped clamp, and a retaining bar so formed as to afford a pair of oppositely extending generally straight end sections and a relatively interconnecting intermediate section of substantially v-form, said bar terminatingforwardly in an upturned hook and rearwardly in an impact driving surface, both clamp arms being correspondingly so notched as to provide upper and lower jaws adapted to flatwise embrace the upper and lower border surfaces of a rail base flange in such manner as to dispose the intermediate, web in a planehaving an upward forward inclination of between 40 and 50 from the plane of the lowermost jaw surfaces, the intermediate bar, section adapted, when the baris driven between the clamp arms transversely of the rail, to be cammed upwardly by engagement with said inclined clamp web to advance the bar hook towards, and to be snapped upwardly over, the edge of the opposite rail base flange, to resiliently upwardly deflect the intermediate portions of the bar, and to tractively advance the clamp jaws onthe clamped rail base flange, a relatively upper portion of the channel arms being skewed to dispose their inner surfaces adjacent their rear edges in more closely converged relation than the other more forwardly disposed portions thereof whereby to resiliently grip substantially localized portions of the sides of said bar rear section near its rear end, and each of said clamp arms in the region of said converged surfaces and below the position of the gripped bar portion being provided with inwardly directed shoulders adapted to aflord companion ledges to prevent downward displacement of said gripped rear bar section.

I 12. A two-piece rail anchor comprising a channel shaped clamp, comprising a pair of upwardly extending interspaced arms and a pendant transverse web, and a retaining bar so formed as to aiford a pair of oppositely extending generally straight front and rear sections and a relatively interconnecting medial section of substantially V-form, said, bar terminating forwardly in an upturned hook and rearwardly in an impact driving end, both clamp arms being correspondingly so notched as to provide like pairs of companion upper and lower jaws adapted to embrace the upper and lower border surfaces of a rail base flange, the lower jaw surfaces and the upper surface of the channel web being relatively disposed at a forwardly converging angle of between 40 degrees and 50 degrees, the rear and medial bar sections being mostly disposed between the clamp arms with said driving end projected rearwardly of the clamp, and the forward arm of said V-form medial section adapted, when said jaws are partially positioned on said base flange and the bar is driven between the clamp arms transversely of the rail, to be cammed upwardly and to make tractive engagement with said inclined clamp web to cause the bar hook to be advanced toward the opposite base flange edge to cause upward deflection of the intermediate portions of the bar, and to tractively further advance of the clamp jaws onto the engaged rail base flange, said V-form section being joined to the rearmost portion of the front bar section at a lower level than the plane of the foremost portion of the upper surface of said rear section, whereby to provide a substantial gap between the rail base bottom and the more rearwardly disposed upper surface portions driving surface, both clamp arms being correspondingly so notched; as to provide upper and lower jaws adapted toflat wise embrace the upper and lower border surfaces of a rail base flange in such manner as to dispose the intermediate web in a plane havin an upward forward inclination of between 40 and 50-from the plane of the lowermost jaw surfaces, the intermediate bar' section adapted, when the bar is driven between the clamp arms transversely of the rail, to be cammed upwardly by engagement with said in-' clined clamp web, to advance the bar hook towards and to be snapped upwardly over the edge of the opposite rail base flange, to resiliently up wardly deflect the intermediate portions of the bar, and to tractively advance the clamp jaws on the clamped rail base flange, said V-form section being joined to the rearmost portion of the front bar section at a lower lever than the region of juncture thereof with the foremost portion of the rear bar section and said front section being inclined upwardly from its junction with said V form section, whereby toinitially afford a substantial gap between the rail base bottom and the more rearwardly disposed upper surface por;

tions of said forward section. v

14. A two-piece rail anchor comprising a channel shaped clamp, and a retaining bar so formed as to afford a pair of oppositely extending generally straightrend sections and a relatively interconnecting intermediate section of substantially V-form, said bar terminating forwardly in an upturnedhook and rearwardly in an impact driving surface, both clamp arms being correspondingly so notched as to provide upper and lower jaws adaptv, ed to flatwise embrace the upper and lower border surfaces of a rail base flange in suchmanner as to dispose the intermediate web in a planehaving an upward forward inclination of between 40 and 50 from the plane of the lowermost jaw surfaces, the intermediate bar section adapted, when the bar is driven between the clamp arms transversely of therail, to be cammed upwardly by, engagement with said inclined clamp web to ad vance the bar hooktowards and to be snapped upwardly over the edge of the opposite rail base flange, to resiliently upwardly deflect the intermediate portions of the bar, and to tractively advance the clamp jaws on the clamped rail base flange, a relatively upper portion of the channel arms being skewed to dispose their inner surfaces which are adjacent their rear edges in more closely converged relation than the other more forwardly disposed portions thereof whereby to resiliently grip substantially localized portions of the sides of said bar rear section near its rear end, each of said clamp arms in the region of said converged surfaces and below the position of the gripped bar portion being provided with inwardly directed shoulders adapted to afford companion ledges to prevent downward displacement of said gripped rear bar section, and each of said clamp arms, in the region of the junction of said lower jaw surfaces with the relatively lower front edge surfaces of the clamp arms, being provided with inwardly directed shoulders adapted to arforddownw'ardly facing'companion ledges adapted to restrict relatively upward movement of the portion of the bar disposed between said am portions and between said ledges and the forwardly disposed portion of the upper surface of said channel web.

15. A unitary rail anchor comprising the combination with a channel shaped clamp element having a pair of upstanding arms, each of said arms having its forward edges so notched as to afford apair of upper and lower jaw surfaces and said clamp being characterised by the channel web bein disposedat approximately a 45 forwardly converging angle to the lower jaw surfaces-and by the arms thereof below the forward portion of the lower'jaw surfaces being provided with inwardly extending downwardly facing companion ledges, and "a more rearward and upward portion of-said arms disposedsomewhat below the plane of the lower jaw surfaces being provided with upwardly facing relatively front and-rear companion-ledges, of a retaining bar'having 'substantially straight front and rear sections and a transversely trough-shapedintermediate section merged at its upper ends with said front and rear sections, said forward section terminating in an upturned hook, said bar 'adapted 'to be pre-assembled with said clamp with the rear bar section disposed between the clamp arms and projecting ieai'wardly therefrom, and having a portion overlying the rearmost cor'npanionledges, anda more forward portion of the bar in the-region comprising the juncture of said front and intermediate sections being substantially caged between the forward companion ledges and the channel web, the'forward surface of the intermediate section bein cammingly engageable with the upper surface of said web, and said anchor being adapted to be driven as a unit by blows directed upon the end of its'rea'r section to cause its upper and lower jaws to enibrace one rail base flange and to cause said intermediate section to be canimingly advancedon said'web to snap said hook over the edge of therem'ot'e rail'base flange, and the depth of said trough-shaped section being so great as to prevent its low'ermost' surface from being driven forwardly so'far as to *reach the restricted vertical "space between the foremost upper'ed'ge of the 'web and the rail base surface disposed above said web edge.

16. The rail anchor substantially as set forth in claim 15, characterized by bar being of-substantially uniform width, andthe inner-surfaces of the clamp arms, which are disposed in the general region of outward projection of the rear end of the rear bar section from between said arms, being normally so closely interspaced as to resiliently compressively frictionally grip the side edges'o'f the bar when operatively disposed therebetween, and the more forwardly disposed side edge portions of said bar being free of compressiveengagement by said clamp arms.

'17. The rail anchor substantially as set forth in claim 5, characterized by bar being of substantially uniform width, and a relatively upper portion of the channel arms being skewed to dispose their inner surface portions which are disposed in the region of the rear edges of the arms, in more closelyco'nverged relation than the other more forwardly disposed portions thereof, to effect resilient pressure engagement of said converged inner surfaces against the opposing sides'of the bar po'rtion interposed therebetween, and each of said clamp arms below the position of said bar portion being provided with inwardly directed upwardly presented companion ledges, said ledges adapted to restrain said gripped ba'r portion from downward displacement.

l8. The ra'iil-an'chor as substantially set forth in claim 15, characterized by a relatively upper portion'o'f'the channel 'a'rins, between which the rear bar section is projected rearwardly, being skewed to dispose their inner surface portions adjacent to their '-rear edges in more closely converged relation than more forwardly disposed portions thereof to efi'e'ctinwardly directed resilient frictional pressure by the converged arm surfaces against-said bar sides, and by the provision of said -clamp-a'rms-being-formed to pro- Vide downwardly directed-companion ledge shoulders in the region-below the forward portions of thejawsurfaces and ihter spaced above the forward edge portion of the clamp web to restrain undue upwardmovernent of theportion of the bar disposed above and-close to said the upper forward surface portion of said web.

JOHN WILLIAM SKEEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITEDLSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 7 1,618,576 Cooper Feb. 22 1927 1 ,777,840 Fifield Oct. 7, 1930 2,022,880 Cooper Dec. 3, 1935 

